The Distribution of Science Books in the Late Qing Dynasty and Its Social Impact

Abstract

In the late Qing dynasty, Western missionaries and foreign businessmen set up plenty of publishing and distribution agencies in China, while introducing some promotion and distribution approaches. Meanwhile, the gradual formation and evolvement of capitalist relations of production within the industry led to the emergence of a crop of private bookstores with modern significance. The western typography was phased in during this period to replace the old woodblock printing in China, which in turn contributed to the decline of the old school of academic research and gave rise to the new school.